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woodturning blanks

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  • 27-05-2012 8:51pm
    #1
    IanVW
    Registered Users Posts: 589 ✭✭✭


    Hi im looking for some good quality preferably dried, for making a large fruit bowl and large vases hopefully around the waterford area. Anyone know any good suppliers?


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    #2
    woodturner
    Registered Users Posts: 879 ✭✭✭woodturner


    Large blanks dry enough for bowls wouldn't be fully dry.Sure you can get wide shallow blanks but nothing deep enough for a nice salad bowl. You woud be better off rough turning bowls from fresh logs. Seal the end grain and put them away for a few months. If you rough turned a good few by the time you rough turn the last one the first one would have dried considerably. This will depend on how many you roughed and the drying conditions. I'd recommend getting Glenn Lucas's DVD on bowl turning.
    It shows all the steps taken from sourcing, cutting, processing and roughing the material.
    What size blanks do you require for your vases?


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    #3
    IanVW
    Registered Users Posts: 589 ✭✭✭IanVW


    Ive actually just ordered his 2 dvds:) so im looking forward to watching them!:) Im not to sure what id need for a vase to be honest what size would you recommend? Needs be a foot or more in length anyways. Where could i source large blanks for rough turning? Appreciate your help!:)


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    #4
    junospider
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭junospider


    I have some spalted beech and some oak.pm me if interested.


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    #5
    woodturner
    Registered Users Posts: 879 ✭✭✭woodturner


    IanVW wrote: »
    Ive actually just ordered his 2 dvds:) so im looking forward to watching them!:) Im not to sure what id need for a vase to be honest what size would you recommend? Needs be a foot or more in length anyways. Where could i source large blanks for rough turning? Appreciate your help!:)

    See if you have a local sawmill. They can supply timber in log form or in milled slabs. Glenn Lucas gets his timber in both. The planks he uses are about 8-9" thick and maybe 16" wide and whatever length the log was. From each blank he cores out 2 bowls along with his largest. He gets 3 bowls from each blank. I don't know if you have turned bowls already or if your just starting. If your just starting I'd strongly suggest taking at least one bowl turning course. When i started I thought I could teach myself but I struggled a lot until I took a course with Glenn.

    Regarding the vases, it depends on how big you plan on turning them. You say you've just ordered the 2 dvds, so I'm guessing your only getting started in woodturning. Small bud vases would be ideal to start off with. Don't start off over ambitious like I did, start off with small items until you develop the skills and learn how the various tools cut and work best. These same techniques can then be used on larger scaled items. Sugar bowls or small pot pourri bowls would be a great place to start. With spindle turning, candlesticks, mushrooms, honey dippers and other small items will help no end to develop all the skills for rolling beads, turning coves and other spindle features.
    Blanks for smaller items like these will be readily available kiln dried if you wanted to finish pieces straight away. Small limbs from fallen trees can be used for all the smaller items mentioned but you might find they may crack as they are still wet and full of sap . Fresh green (wet) wood cuts easier than dry wood which is perfect for learning. Drying them slowly and roughing down to a rough shape will allow you to return the piece to the lathe to finish it. Look out for local tree surgeons also and maybe landscapers who may be removing or cutting back trees.


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